Ed Reed says shoulder injury not a concern: 'I'll be all right, I can still tackle'

Downplaying the severity of a torn labrum in his shoulder, Ravens free safety Ed Reed emphasized that the injury won't affect his tackling.

One day after revealing the injury on 105.7 The Fan and acknowledging the injury has had a negative effect, Reed reversed himself Thursday in the locker room and attempted to contain the news he broke.

"I ain't drop no bombshell, man," Reed said. "I ain't no pitcher. I don't play baseball. That's something that we knew about. It's not nothing to worry about it, it is what it is.. The last few weeks I've been dealing with it. I haven't been pressing, so it's all right."

The last few weeks, though, the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year's tackling has been much less impactful and he missed tackles during a 31-29 win over the Dallas Cowboys where he looked reluctant to collide with running backs in the open field.

"I'll be all right," Reed said. "In the New England game, I was able to tackle. In the games after that, stillmaking tackles. I missed a few, but it happens."

Heading into Sunday's game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium, Reed practically dared opponents to go after the shoulder. Reed has been bothered by a nerve impingement in his neck and shoulder issues in recent seasons.

"Target it, target me, throw it, c'mon," Reed said. "Either way it goes, I'm on the field, I have to do my job and they know that whether I'm injured or not. I have had some shoulder stuff going on for a couple of years. It's nothing I can't play around or adapt my game to."

The Ravens aren't listing Reed on the injury report even though this kind of injury would seem to qualify for inclusion on the official report filed with the league office. Reed hasn't been on the injury reportother than a hamstring injury prior to the Philadelphia Eagles game, but hasn't missed practices since then and was seen zipping a football Wednesday at practice.

"I don't know why it doesn't go on," Reed said when asked why he's not on the injury report. "I'm sure a lot of guys have been through this league and had injuries and it's not reported. That's the physical part of the game and a part of the game that the fans and y'all don't anything about.

"That's the part that we have to deal with from a worker's compensation situation, so to say. That's stuff that will be taken care of. I'm physically all right, but it is what it is on that."

Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Dean Pees said he didn't think the labrum injury was causing a problem with Reed's play.

Reed has 24 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass deflections.

"Not really," Pees said. "I actually think he’s been playing well. We’ve all had our moments, but I really haven’t seen that affect him.”

When asked if the team had considered giving Reed a week off, Pees referenced the Ravens' upcoming bye after the Texans game: "Yeah, next week."